Just because I said, “Men, It’s Time to Get It Together,” that doesn’t mean women you should close your bibles and divide your attention, because although I would like to focus on the men I guarantee you that there is a message in this sermon for you as well. Men, I don’t want you to tune me out, I’m not here to beat you up, because the last time I checked I was 100% man, so I will cut us some slack.
But let’s consider some things this morning. At the beginning of creation it was, and still is God’s plan, purpose, and design for the man to be the head of the household, but there are some men who have vacated their God-given responsibilities. I’m not talking about any of you, but some men like you.
• For some reason these men have become back seat drivers when God called them to be behind the steering wheel.
• There are fathers who have abandoned their families or perhaps got ghost before the birth of their children, leaving the mother to handle things on her own, and yes there are mothers who are doing a wonderful job raising their children alone, but this was never the way God intended it to be.
I want to encourage you single mothers to keep your trust in God, and be the best mother you can be. I hear some women say that they have to be the mother and the father, but allow me to correct that. You can’t be the father, because fatherly qualities and abilities were given to men, so just be the best mother there is and let God work out the rest.
• There should be enough godly men around to help be the type of male role models children need who come from single-parent households.
• Men, we need to take back the leadership positions that God ordained us to be in; it’s time to get it together.
Priorities seem to be another issue for men, especially those who buy bling bling and rims before buying a house, investing in rap albums instead of the stock market, and have every pair of Jordans since 1984, but don’t have one suit, shirt, or tie. I’m sorry; I did say I was going to cut us some slack.
• But we need to get our priorities together. In case you haven’t noticed we are living in the last days and this world is experiencing the birth pains that Jesus talked about in Matthew 24.
• Men, we don’t make the world go around, but a lot of things do start with us. God is calling for us to be leaders in our homes and in the church.
• He wants us to be role models, mentors, and counselors, not just to children, but for other men as well.
As we ponder on this sermon’s subject, the phrase “Let’s Get It Together,” suggest that something is out of balance. It suggests that there are some habits that need to be broken, and some attitudes that need to be changed.
• When you hear this phrase, you know that it’s time to get serious and that all games must cease. There comes a time in a person’s life who really understands what God is calling them to, which causes them to say, “It’s time to get it together.”
• Men, I want to encourage us to get it together, to come to the point of making that decision before physical and spiritual damage occurs.
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This is the point that the children of Israel have now come to in our text. Joshua, who succeeded Moses as the next leader called all the tribes of Israel to come to Shechem where he reviewed Israel’s history.
• Let’s take a trip down memory lane. If you recall, the people who were now under Joshua’s leadership were once the younger generation who God said would see the Promised Land; but not their parents, who wandered 40 years in the wilderness because of their disobedience to God, until that entire generation died with the exception of Joshua and Caleb.
Joshua and Caleb lives were spared by God because when they were sent to spy out the land of Cannon before they possessed it, they were the only two who came back with a good report, a report that was based on faith in God that they were well able to take over the land, while the other 10 men scared the nation with a bad report of how the people were too strong for them to overtake.
In the text, Joshua reminds Israel of how far they’ve come as a nation with God. Listen to what Joshua says, “It was God who called your father Abraham out of his country, where they served other gods.
• God blessed Abraham and multiplied his descendants and gave him Isaac. Isaac had Esau and Jacob, and Jacob and his sons went down to Egypt, multiplied and eventually became slaves to the Egyptians.
• Then God sent Moses and Aaron, his brother, to tell Pharaoh to let His people go and through a series of plagues upon Egypt they finally freed us from captivity.
• Pharaoh soon realized what he had done and went in pursuit of us.
When it seemed like the Egyptian army would overtake us because the Red Sea was in front and the Egyptian army behind, Moses said, “Stand still and watch the salvation of the Lord.” God parted the Red Sea while we crossed to the other side, but when the Egyptians tried to cross they were drowned.
• After this we wandered for a long time, fought against and defeated the Amorites, was blessed instead of cursed by Balaam, crossed the Jordan River into the Promised Land, took down the walls of Jericho, and defeated all the nations that came against us in Cannon.
• God gave us this land in which we did not have to labor for, cities were already built, vineyards and olive groves were already planted, and it was a land flowing with milk and honey.” (Pause)
Joshua wanted the children of Israel to see that it was God who blessed their lives in spite of their disobedience. God blessed them in spite their complaining and sins, but it was time for them to get serious with God.
When you review your life’s history, how far has God brought you? Do you remember the captivity in which he freed you? The Red Seas he parted in your life when it seemed like there was no way to get to the other side.
• How God led you out of your wilderness journey and crossed you over into the promises that had your name on them.
• How He picked you up, turned you around, and placed your feet on solid ground.
• God blessed you with a home when your credit score said otherwise. Put you in a car that’s clean with a gangsta lean.
• You did things that should have placed you in jail, but God’s grace and mercy post your bail.
• Pastor Sheppard says, “God didn’t only bring us a mighty long way, but He brought us all…the way.” Have you reviewed your life’s history lately? (Pause)
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So now, Israel had to make a decision whether they were going to get it together or not. And many men have reached that point in their lives, where God is calling men to get it together. God is calling us to stop shaking and faking. He’s calling for the real men to please stand up. Men, I said Men; it’s time to get it together.
How do we get it together? How do we break those habits and change those attitudes? How do we bring into balance that which is unbalanced? Our answers are found in the canonical text as Joshua concludes his review of Israel’s history.
• There are a few principles that will help us get it together that are jumping from the text and the first is if we’re going to get it together men, and remember these principles apply to you as well ladies, but if you’re going to get it together you must reverence the Lord. Look, Joshua says in part ‘a’ of verse 14, “Fear the Lord.”
This was a command from Joshua to the people to take into consideration everything he shared about how God had been with them throughout history. When such an assessment is made, a person in their right mind should reverence a God with such power, and should be afraid to offend God and know that God sees and hears all.
• The word ‘fear’ used here doesn’t just mean respecting God’s sovereignty and majesty, it also means that we should be afraid to hurt God and fear to live in any kind of way before Him.
• I know they don’t spank kids anymore, but I grew up in the days when spankings were still popular. And we didn’t act any kind of way in front of our parents because we knew that called for a belt, switch, and some of ya’ll know about extension cords.
This is the same kind of fear we should have for the Lord; we should fear His consequences and discipline. Men, getting it together starts with reverence for God, and when you respect God you’ll also respect women and not call them names that weren’t given to them by their parents.
When you fear the Lord, you won’t think that you’re the only person who knows where your magazine and video stash is. Can we keep it real this morning? We’re trying to get it together.
• When men began to fear the Lord they’ll be leaders in the home, take care of their children, and come to church not just when your wife or girlfriend ask you to.
• Can I say this; you don’t have to live in a different house, city, or state to not pay attention to your children.
• Some men don’t spend time with their kids and they’re in the same home, 365 days a year. But it starts with reverence for God to be a real father and a real man.
Women aren’t going to have much respect for you if they see that you do not fear the Lord. They’re not going to put much trust in your leadership decisions if you can’t reverence the Lord’s authority.
• And women, when you see that a man is trying to get it together encourage and respect him for doing so. Some men struggle in getting it together because you’re always telling him that he’ll never change.
• Yeah, yeah, you know that famous phrase you always say, “Once a dog always a dog.” Well, that’s only true if you’re born with four legs and a tail.
• I know a God who specializes in change, if you think Obama has change we can believe in, then you haven’t seen anything yet. God can change your heart, He can change your mindset, and He can change your direction. (Pause)
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So men, in order to get it together we must reverence the Lord. Not only that, but if you’re going to get it together you must be committed to God. In part ‘b’ of verse 14, Joshua said, “Serve the Lord in sincerity and truth.” In other words, serve the Lord with your whole heart, mind, soul, and faithfully.
When the time comes for us to stand before the Lord in the end, I’m sure all of us would like to hear Him say, “Well done, my good and faithful servant,” but take a quick examination of yourself, what are you doing to compel the Lord to call you faithful?
• Don’t misunderstand me I’m not talking about working for salvation, because that’s a free gift of God, but when a person is saved they should want to faithfully serve God.
I’ve been around and in the church for most of my life. Notice I said around the church, because you can be around the church and not necessarily in the church. Thank God I found my way in.
• But one thing I’ve noticed about the church is that the women’s choir always seems larger than the men’s.
• The women’s groups are bigger, I know its Father’s Day, but on regular Sundays there are more women in the congregation, and I don’t believe that women outnumber men that much.
• I do believe that some women are just more committed than men. I know I said I was going to cut us some slack, it’s not me, God is speaking to us. But it’s time to get it together.
There is no reason why this choir stand can’t be filled with more men on 3rd Sundays. When men become committed the brotherhood meetings should be held in the sanctuary, because they can’t fit in the other building anymore.
• We can’t expect two hours of worship on Sunday to sustain us through the week; we need to be more committed to God! (Short Pause) Now that one was for all of us.
• But men when we are committed to the Lord, we’ll be more committed to our families and on our jobs.
I’m not saying that we have to be involved in every ministry that exist in the church, I’m in school, so that keeps me from leaning and rocking with it with men’s choir, but being committed in serving the Lord means whatever God is calling you to do, do that faithfully.
• And being committed to the Lord isn’t just what you do in the church, but when you’re outside these walls it becomes even more critical to be committed.
• If we can watch hours of sports throughout the week, we should be able to read our Bibles at least 30 minutes a day.
• If you do that faithfully, 30 minutes will turn into an hour, and an hour, two hours.
• We should pray daily as well, Paul said to pray without ceasing, in other words prayer should be a part of our lives daily.
You will discover that when you’re committed to God and do all that he desires, you’ll have more than enough time to do what you desire.
• That’s why I can’t understand why people can’t come to church on Sunday, when God has given them the whole week, but some reason Sunday is only day they have to take care of this and that.
• God is looking for those good and faithful servants, and I don’t know who lied to you, but serving the Lord does pay off. (Short Pause) That was for all of us as well.
• So men we must be committed to the Lord if we’re going to get it together.
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Let’s dissect verse 14 one more time, the last part of that verse Joshua continues with his command to the people by saying, “Put away the gods which your fathers served beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the Lord.” The third principle that can be extracted here is if you’re going to get it together you must eliminate distractions.
Idol worship in the Old Testament was a serious problem. In the Ten Commandments, God addresses idols and how it displeases Him. This is one reason why the Israelites were warned not to mix or mingle with other nations, because those other nations had many idols and worshipped images.
• God chooses to make Himself known through words rather than through a visible form, and so idol worship was prohibited for Israel.
• Idols were distractions to the people, because it took their focus off of God.
• Joshua realized that if they didn’t get rid of idols and worship of other gods, they would never be able to get it together.
Idol worship still exists today, but it has taken a new form. You may not have a statue in your house that you bow before every day, but what is it that’s taking your time and focus away from God?
• Is it your 65” TV, or your ps3 that you have to watch and play allll the time? Is it your car you have to keep clean every day? Is it your family or your job? Is it your desire to have the greenest yard on the block.
• And what mess us up is that these things aren’t wrong. There is nothing wrong with having a big TV or ps3. It’s no problem if you want to keep your car clean.
• There is nothing wrong with spending time with and doing things for your family, but it’s when these things are placed above God and take His place; this is where the problem comes in. (Pause)
Sin is the biggest distraction there is in a Christian’s life. Becoming a Christian doesn’t stop you from sinning, although I wish that were true, because life would be so much easier.
• A Christian has not lost the power to sin, but should lose the desire to sin. We can’t be isolated from sin, but we can make sure we’re insulated against sin.
Knowing that sin is something we’ll deal with until the last breath we breathe, we should do all we can to eliminate sin’s distractions.
• Men, what’s distracting you? Do we need to go through the list to help you identify any?
• Is it your favorite drank, material things, money, your favorite honey, your job, or negative thoughts?
• We know those distractions we need to eliminate in our lives, and when we put them away we’re able to get it together and focus on God. (Pause)
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This is probably the most unpopular sermon I ever preached, so let me sit down and be happy all by myself. But before I do there is one more principle we need to remember, if you’re going to get it together you must make a choice.
In verse 15, Joshua says, “If it is disagreeable in your sight to serve the LORD, choose for yourselves today whom you will serve: whether the gods which your fathers served which were beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living; but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.”
Joshua realized how good God had been to the nation of Israel, and he also realized how God had blessed his life. After taking all of this into consideration, Joshua understood that a choice had to be made.
• He knew the blessing and abundant life that came from serving the Lord, and he also knew the hell that one would experience if they didn’t serve the Lord.
• So Joshua simply said this to the people, “If you don’t think serving the Lord is a good thing, then I’m not going to argue with you, you do you and I’m going do me.
• And doing me means that my choice is, me and my family will serve the Lord.
Men, one of our God-given responsibilities is to make choices for our families, after we’ve consulted God first. When the Bible talks about submitting, some women say, “I don’t know if I can get down with all that? I was taught to be a strong woman and not to depend on no man, I’m i-n-d-e-p-e-n-d-e-n-t, do you know that I mean?” (Pause)
• Women, you should have no problem submitting to your husband’s authority, especially when you know that he’s submitted to God’s authority.
• Men, quit letting your woman make all the decisions while you sit back and not say a word. When she’s asking for that new car, but you know it’s not the right time, you just have to say, “Look, the time isn’t right and after I pray about it I’ll let you know what we’ll do.”
If we’re going to get it together we have to make a choice and the first choice is whether we’re going to follow and serve the Lord, or not. God has given us free will, so He’s not going to make you serve Him, but I guarantee you that it would be wise if you do.
• Even if you make the choice that you and your family will serve the Lord, you may find that everyone in the family isn’t happy with that decision.
• But don’t let your children tell you what they’re doing or not doing. They shouldn’t have a choice as long as they’re living under your roof.
• Children will not always want to come to church, but you keep bringing them so that seed can be planted.
Wives you may have a husband who’s laying up on the couch with his Lakers jersey on with his grown self, not wanting to come to church on Sundays, but keep inviting him and praying for him until God deals with him.
• Men, if we’re going to get it together we must make a choice. Make a choice to serve the Lord. Make a choice to be the leader in your home. Make a choice to raise your children. Make a choice to be a provider. Make a choice to respect women.
• Make a choice to do all that is pleasing to God. And when the right choices are made, God will bless our lives for doing so.
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Do I have any men who want to get it together and live for the Lord? The decision to get it together shouldn’t take us a lifetime to make that decision, as a matter of fact who promised you a lifetime?
• The old folks use to say, “It’s getting late in the evening, and the sun is going down.”
Let me say this, you’ll never reach the point where you have everything together, we’re a work in progress who God is shaping and molding for perfection one day.
• But take it one step at a time, get one thing together and check it off, get another thing together and check it off.
These principles we’ve mentioned today are the foundation, things we must get together first in order for everything else to fall in line. So remember, if you want to get it together you must reverence the Lord. Respect the will and authority of God.
• You must be committed to God, placing Him first above all things.
• You must also eliminate distractions, so that your focus can be on God and what it is He has for you to do for Him.
• And finally, you must make a choice, choosing to serve the Lord and leading those who are under your care in the ways of the Lord as well.
It’s not an easy road, especially when satan see that you’re trying to get your life in line with God, but hang on in there knowing that your faithfulness will be rewarded in the end.
• And it is possible to get it together no matter what obstacles you face, no matter how many setbacks you’ve had. God can keep you, lead and guide you every step of the way.
Abraham was a liar, but he got it together. Jacob was tricky, but he got it together. Moses always had an excuse, but he got it together.
• Samson was puddy in a woman’s hand, but he got it together. David was an adulterer, but he got it together. Job questioned God, but he got it together.
• Jonah ran from God, but he got it together. Peter would tell you whatever was on his mind, but he got it together. Paul was a murderer, but he got it together.
• There is nothing different between these men and you and I, so why can’t we get it together?
The good news is, we can! Because of Jesus Christ, who’s always had it together. If you want to get it together, tell Jesus all about it and watch how He begins to move in your life, helping you to get all the pieces of your life together.
Can I tell you a story? Humpty Dumpty sat on the wall, and Humpty Dumpty had a great fall, all the king’s horses and all the king’s men, couldn’t put Humpty back together again.
• You know why? Because Humpty was dealing with the wrong king, if he had known the King of Kings, he would have been made whole again. Do you know that King? His name is Jesus.
• He is the Resurrection and the Life. He is Lord of Lord’s.
• He is Living Water. He is the Bread of Life.
• He is the great I AM. He is the Light of the world.
• He is the Prince of Peace. He is the Word.
• He’s Alpha and Omega. He is the Redeemer.
• He is the Way. He is the Son of God.
• He is the Author and Finisher of our Faith. And He’s the only one who can help us get it together. It’s time to get it together!
